The present invention relates to collapsible containers, and particularly to bottom structures for collapsible containers made of paperboard. More particularly, the present invention relates to a relatively flat bottom structure for a rapid set-up, octagon-shaped bulk box.
One problem with known rapid set-up, octagon-shaped bulk boxes is that tabs used to form a portion of the bottom structure of such boxes tend to extend upwardly from the box floor into an interior region of such boxes when the boxes are expanded to assume upright, erected configurations. Many box users prefer a box that, once erected, has an open interior region free of any upwardly extending tabs and a relatively flat interior bottom wall or floor.
According to the present invention, a collapsible container includes a multi-sided body formed to include a top opening and a bottom opening, a bi-fold floor, and a plurality of tabs coupled for pivotable movement to the body. The body is configured to be folded from an expanded, opened position to a collapsed, flattened position and the bi-fold floor is positioned to lie in the bottom opening of the multi-sided body upon movement of the body to assume the expanded, opened position. The pivotable tabs are arranged to lie under the bi-fold floor and cooperate with the bi-fold floor to define a bottom structure closing the bottom opening of the body and having a relatively flat interior wall free of any tab portions lying atop of the bi-fold floor in the midsections thereof and facing into the interior region of the body upon movement of the multi-sided body to assume its expanded, opened position.
In preferred embodiments, the collapsible container is a somewhat octagon-shaped bulk box and the body is eight-sided and includes a set of eight walls arranged consecutively in series to provide the eight-sided body with an "octagon" shape upon movement of the eight-sided body to assume the expanded, opened position. Although two of the eight walls, which two walls are formed to include hand-grip slots, are folded to give the impression that the bulk box has ten walls, the bulk box really has eight walls, six of which are flat and two of which are folded slightly.
A bottom panel including the bi-fold floor and some of the tabs (e.g., links) is coupled to the eight-sided body and configured to fold during expansion and collapse of the collapsible container. Others of the tabs (e.g., end flaps) are coupled to the eight-sided body and configured to be folded during expansion and collapse of the collapsible container.
When the body is moved to assume its expanded, opened (i.e., erect) position, the bi-fold floor is positioned to close "most" of the bottom opening in the body. The tabs (e.g., links and end flaps) are moved to lie under the floor and close any openings formed between the body and the bi-fold floor so as to close the "rest" of the bottom opening in the body. None of the tabs extend into the interior region of the erect container. As a result, the bottom structure of the collapsible container defined by the bottom panel and the end flaps provides a relatively flat interior bottom wall in the erect container.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.